Constructing Interactive Sound Sculptures in the Classroom You must be touching "earth" in order to complete a closed circuit and "activate" a key. If you are not also touching "earth" when you touch other keys, it is not a complete circuit and will not function.

- Foamcore is conductive! - If clay is left on cardboard overnight, the cardboard will absorb moisture and become conductive!

- PLASTIC plates are the best option! - Make sure wires do not cross/touch underneath plates- Make sure each "conductivity point" of play-doh is separated by modeling clay SoundPlant.org - Free Download - Can assign any sound file to any key by clicking and dragging

"Talking Communities"A collaborative project in which students each build one building/area/space/aspect of a community. Students choose one conductivity point to hook up to the MakeyMakey, and record a sound that will play when the point is touched.

Conductive Materials: Wire, Aluminum Foil, Copper TapeStudent each recorded one sound using their voice and a microphone. Options:

> Zoom Mics

> MP3 Recorder (Free App)

> recordmp3online.com

Clay Narratives

- Create three objects or characters and develop a story ordialogue between the characters.

Inclusive Classroom: general education students and exceptional education students- 6th Grade - 10 students total - Four 70 minute classesFinal Product:Collaborative Interactive Sound InstallationEach student created a "interconnectivity web" showing the relationship between science, math, art, and their own lives, which they graphed on a coordinate plane. Day 1: Discussion of Interconnectivity

Questions: - What does it mean for two things to be connected? Interconnected? - What people, places, and things are YOU interconnected with?- How are math, science, art, and life interconnected? - How are math, science, and art part of our everyday lives?

Day 2: Introduction to MakeyMakey

- Discussion about circuits + conductivity

- Experiments with conductivity:- created hypotheses on whether the material would be conductive or non-conductive- reflected on their reasoning- recorded the resultsDay 3

- Students glue their webs onto a Styrafoam mount and create a "conductivity point" with wire and model magic

- Students complete their "interconnectivity webs" by decorating all sides of their Styrafoam mount

- Students record one unique sound that will play when the conductivity point is touched Day 4: Students install their individual webs into a collaborative installation

- Earth is aluminum foil taped on table

My own introduction to MakeyMakey!

- CurrentLab: Research initiative focused on the development of digital arts education currentlab.art.vcu.edu